What sewage water can tell us about the spread of COVID-19

Testing for COVID-19 is still limited and way too slow to keep ahead of the pandemic. Now, dozens of cities and countries are turning to the sewers to try to figure out if COVID-19 is spreading in their communities. A Massachusetts-based startup called Biobot Analytics tests wastewater and raw sewage for the presence of the novel coronavirus. It started a free pilot project in June with hundreds of wastewater treatment facilities, and now some cities are starting to pay Biobot for regular monitoring. It’s a branch of research called wastewater epidemiology. Molly speaks with Dan Ackerman, who has been reporting on this for member station WGBH. He told her the science is new, but since cities are desperate to get a handle on the virus, it’s finding new converts.